Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Punjabi Samosa
The king of Indian street food—a flaky, crispy, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with a heavily spiced, mashed potato and pea filling.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- all-purpose flour (maida)
- ajwain (carom seeds)
- ghee/oil (for dough)
- potatoes
- green peas
- green chilies
- ginger
- coriander seeds
- cumin seeds
- garam masala
- amchur (dry mango powder)
- oil for deep frying
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Deep frying wok (Kadai)
- Rolling pin
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Dough (Moyan)
In a bowl, mix flour, ajwain seeds, and salt. Add melted ghee or warm oil (the 'Moyan'). Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- 2
Knead Dough
Gradually add cold water and knead into a stiff, tight dough (not soft like roti dough). Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Boil Potatoes
Boil the potatoes until tender. Peel and roughly mash them. Do not mash them completely smooth; leave some chunks.
- 4
Roast Spices
Coarsely crush coriander seeds and cumin seeds. In a pan, heat a little oil and sauté these crushed spices along with chopped green chilies and ginger.
- 5
Cook the Filling
Add green peas, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and amchur. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- 6
Combine Potato
Add the roughly mashed potatoes and salt. Sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes until the moisture evaporates. Stir in fresh coriander and cool completely.
- 7
Roll the Pastry
Divide dough into equal balls. Roll one into an oval shape (not a circle). Cut it in half horizontally to create two semi-circles.
- 8
Form the Cone
Take one semi-circle. Apply water along the straight edge. Fold it into a cone shape, pinching the seam tightly to seal it completely.
- 9
Stuff the Cone
Fill the cone generously with the cold potato filling, leaving about half an inch empty at the top.
- 10
Seal the Samosa
Apply water along the top inner edge. Make a small pleat on the back edge, then press both edges together firmly to seal. The samosa should 'sit' flat.
- 11
Low-heat Frying
Heat oil in a kadai. The oil must be warm, NOT hot. Slide the samosas in. Fry on low heat for 15-20 minutes until golden and flaky.
- 12
Serve
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with sweet Tamarind Chutney and spicy Green Coriander Chutney.
Cooking Tips
- The secret to a flaky, blister-free samosa crust is frying on very low heat. If the oil is too hot, the crust will develop ugly bubbles and remain raw inside.
- The dough must be stiff. If it is soft, the samosa will absorb oil and become soggy.
Variations
- Paneer Samosa: Stuff with a mixture of crumbled paneer, onions, and spices.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The quintessential accompaniment to evening Chai across the Indian subcontinent.
Nutrition Estimate
310 calories · 4g protein · 32g carbs · 18g fat · 3g fiber per serving
